Wager games come in a variety of forms, including for example a mechanical slot machine. A mechanical slot machine may include one or more reels, each of which includes multiple symbols distributed around the circumference of the reel. When a player places a wager (e.g., by placing a coin in the machine), the player is allowed to spin the reels. Each reel then comes to rest, typically with either one of the symbols, or a space in between symbols, in alignment with a pay line. A predetermined winning symbol, combination of winning symbols, or permutation of winning symbols that are aligned with the pay line may result in the player winning the game and receiving a payout. In one example, the machine may include three reels, and the pay line may be a horizontal line disposed across a center of each of the three reels.
In another example of a wager game, a mechanical slot machine may present symbols in a matrix arrangement, with each symbol changing during a spin of the game. For example, the machine may have five columns and three rows of symbols, for a total of fifteen symbols. Such machines often have multiple pay lines, each being defined by a collection of positions within the matrix. For example, the machine may have three pay lines, each corresponding to a respective row of the matrix.
While slot machines were traditionally mechanical, a modern slot machine may take the form of an electronic gaming machine that is configured to simulate functions of a mechanical slot machine. Such an electronic gaming machine may use a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays an image of one or more reels or a matrix as described above, together with animation effects to simulate a spin of the game. The machine may further include a processor and a computer software program that together facilitate functions related to the game, including for example, selecting a resting position of a real in response to a spin request, and displaying on the display symbols that correspond to the selected resting position.
For a wager game, it may be desired to provide an unpredictable game result. To do this, the machine may utilize a random (or pseudo random) number generator (RNG). For instance, the machine may cause an RNG to generate a random number, and then use the generated random number as a basis for selecting a position of a reel (e.g., by using a mapping table). This may allow the machine to provide a random, unpredictable result of the game.
In traditional electronic gaming machines, an RNG is implemented in software or by means of firmware in a self-contained hardware module. Notably however, gaming establishments (e.g., casinos) that use electronic gaming machines with this type of RNG are often subject to certain regulatory restrictions. For example, a casino may be limited to having a specified maximum number of electronic gaming machines with this type of RNG.
It is therefore desirable to provide an electronic gaming machine that can provide random game results, but that is not dependent on a traditional RNG.